BEVERLEY VEASEY

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Study of a Calf: Bos Taurus

HABITATS AND NATURAL HISTORY

Natural History depicts a number of animal species in artificial environments.  Increasingly we live in modern societies where we are detached from the natural world. The encounters with animals that we do have are often in zoos or museums. The title Natural History refers to the scientific study of animals and in this case the public display of animals in enclosures throughout the world. The animals presented here have been photographed in zoos, agricultural shows, museums and animal sanctuaries around Australia.  This work seeks to amplify the artificial nature of these encounters and to prompt reflection on the impact we have on other animal species and their habitats.

Habitats alternatively depicts a number of empty animal enclosures found in zoos and aquariums. As the inhabitants of these spaces are absent, we are left to ponder what animal may reside there. As more and more of the earth’s natural resources are destroyed, artificial spaces such as these may be the only place in the future where we can encounter endangered species.

Scientists have revealed that the world could lose up to half of its species by the end of this century. It seems we are destroying habitats so rapidly, that some animals and plants are failing to regenerate. Together, Habitats and Natural History depict a time in the future when a number of different animals have been lost or are under threat in the wild. As more and more species disappear, these images offer a space where we can reflect on the diversity of the animal world and our relationship to it.

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Study of a Gibbon: Hylobates lar

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Study of a Lion: Panthera leo

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Study of a Horse: Equus caballus

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Study of a Peacock: Pavo cristatus

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Study of a White Rhinoceros: Cretotherium simum

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Study of a goat: Capra hircus

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Study of a Sow: Sus scrofa domesticus

BIOGRAPHY

Based in Sydney, Beverley Veasey is a  photo artist who is represented in collections in Australia and overseas. She lectures in photography at the National Art School in Sydney and is represented by Dickerson Gallery in Melbourne and Hugo Michell in Adelaide. She graduated from the South Australian School of Art in 1989 and completed her Master of Arts in Digital Media at the University of Central England in 1997. Recent solo exhibitions of both Habitats and Natural History were held at Dickerson Gallery, Hugo Michell Gallery and Stills Gallery.   More of Beverley’s work can be found at www.home.zipworld.com.au/~bev/